At the Edge
by Arcturox
Summary: The number of original clone soldiers within the new Galactic Empire dwindles. Those that remain become increasingly insular and dependent on their brethren. As loyalties are tested, some clones seem more ready to betray their emperor than their brothers.
1. Chapter 1

It was all body language. Even when all he could see were dark shapes in the mist, it was enough. The silhouettes of his many brothers shifting through the trees relayed to him messages, orders, and even the most minute troop movements. The forests of Felucia became exceptionally unwelcoming at night, and it was comforting to see the rest of the legion bolstering the trees rather than a pack of hungry Acklay.

Through the shadows of the jungle, a trooper stopped and made a quick hand gesture. CT-4646 replied with his own and tapped at the edge of his visor to activate the heat sensor. His heads up display became awash in a rainbow of colors, dividing his vision into pools of blue, each of his brothers ahead encircled in fluorescent yellow and orange. Other spots of orange flitted through the trees. The countless creatures of Felucia moved in waves away from the invasive troops. Eight years ago 4646 had been stationed here on Felucia with the 247th Legion. Most of them had made it back. Not enough, but most. The 247th hadn't been the same since though. Once the Chancellor reformed the Republic, the clone facilities were shut down, and non-clone recruiting began. Even through the trees in the dead of night, 4646 could tell the new blood from the old. It was all the same training he supposed, but there was just something absent from the way those troopers moved.

As the land beneath him pulled into a steep slope, 46 checked his rifle again. They were coming up on the ridge - rally point echo for Dire Squad. As his shin-plates dropped into the mud at the top of the rally point, he glanced to his sides to see if his squad mates were in place. A-8724 made the same look from his position, giving 4646 a quick nod. CT-6501 was already in his scopes, and beside him CL-4682 was on the rifle, barrel aimed squarely at their target. Ahead of them was what appeared to be a tree, strangely shaped maybe, but not so different from the other fauna coating Felucia. However, imperial intelligence suggested this tree was home to a rogue listening post, and seeds of rebellion were to be eliminated at all costs. It was the task of Dire Squad to provide overwatch and quietly remove any stragglers left by the main assault force. The goal was to be quick and quiet. On missions like this, 4646 had noticed, the Empire tended to favor legions that had the most clones left over from the war with the Seps. Seemed the brass felt the same way 46 did about new blood. Through the scope of his blaster, 46 could just barely make out the movements of the troopers in the primary assault force. The secondary were nowhere to be seen. That squad was led by CC-5040. If anyone could see him coming, even an ally, he considered it a personal slight.

What 4646 wouldn't give to be front line on this one. He hadn't seen proper action since the Empire, and even though a rogue listening post wasn't exactly top tier excitement, at least he could pull the trigger once or twice. Outside of a range his blaster probably hadn't been fired in half a year. Two taps came from his left. 6501 knocked a fist against his armor plate to get the squad's attention, and lingered a moment on his scope before pulling out and making rapid hand gestures. Something was wrong. 01 signaled that he saw movement in the tree well before the assault force had reached it. Halfway through his last motion, a light flashed from within the tree, and a couple seconds later the sound of an explosion and a small shockwave ripped through the forest around them. Suddenly, radio silence was broken.

"Dire Squad! Break position! Down the ridge, move it move it!"

The four troopers hopped over the ridge in sync, sliding down the muddy shrub-covered slope on the other side. Suddenly the squad was in the dark of the forest again. 46 could barely make out the tip of the listening post through the foliage, but the firelight coming from its center certainly indicated its position clearly. With his boots tapping through the jungle floor and his brothers beside him, 46 could almost see the droids through the trees. The massive feet of an AT-TE… The glow of a lightsaber ahead.

His thoughts were shaken from him as a second detonation sent a ripple through the underbrush, and the fire ahead burned brighter. 46 had to turn off his heat sensor as the firelight began to burn at his retinas. A-8724 held up a fist and Dire Squad stopped dead.

"4682, you and 6501 sweep left and dig a hole on that outcrop over there. I want eyes and blaster fire on any sonofabitch dumb enough to set foot outside of that post without Imperial armor." He turned to 46 and gestured to follow. "46, you're with me. Let's make a slow approach."

"Yes sir!"

The squad split. 82 and 01 disappeared into the trees. 46 followed Alpha 24 at jogging pace through to the edge of a clearing. Through the spaces of the trees, the rebel listening post stood, ablaze. Stormtroopers ran from the entrance, some had made a clean exit just in time. Others were already burning and too far gone. Two of the troopers' paths of retreat led to 24 and 46's position.

"Halt trooper! Report! What happened in there?"

The trooper stopped rigid as soon as Alpha spoke. _Clone._ Thought 46.

The trooper hesitated in his reply. "-I…don't know, sir. The whole place went up as soon as we breached the door. No one's come out except us as far as I can tell, sir."

"Regroup with your squad and set the perimeter, soldier. I'll radio for fire crews."

The trooper nodded and continued forward to catch up with the other troops.

"46, we're approaching the site. Stay close and keep eyes up on that tree."

"Roger that, sir."

Dire Squad made a dash across the clearing and dropped down behind a large root extending from the structure. Small chunks of burning branches and embers rained down around the radius of the station. As 46 got closer to the tree, it became increasingly clear the thing had been molded around some kind of building. Through the cracks in the tree, he could see the undeniable grey of metallic walls. Where the other troopers had retreated from, a doorway clearly stood. After the initial fireball, the flames had died down, but the walls were blackened and the tree surrounding the door was still fully engulfed. Between the edges of the fire, there was barely enough room to enter without being torched.

"Are we headed in, sir?"

"Someone's got to, 46. The assault squads are scattered. Command has given us the go ahead to scout." Alpha raised his blaster and tapped his thigh-plate, indicating he was prepped to breach. 46 tapped his own and locked his eyes forward.

"Ready when you are, sir."

"Breach!"

The two clones swept in, 46 on the left, Alpha-24 on the right. The room was filled with black, choking smoke. His helmet took care of most of it, but the smell still wafted through. Both clones reactivated their heat sensors and scanned the rooms of the first section. It was a fairly small floor plan, but 46 suspected the base was towered quite high, and likely extended just as much downward. Alpha radioed out to the other two Dires and moments later 82 and 01 filed through the door.

"Any rebels, sir?" 01 asked as soon as he crossed the threshold.

"No, this floor seems abandoned. I've just been informed CC-5040 is somewhere within the facility, or was when the explosives went off. There's no evidence he's been K.I.A'd, so command says we are to follow the original intelligence and push downward into the lower levels until we can extract 5040 and his men. Do you all understand?"

"Solid copy, sir. Sweep to extraction." 82 looked to the stair at the far corner of the room. "Permission to take point, sir?"

"Granted. I'm on second. 46 and 01 on rear guard. Move out."

The lower corridors were dark, but the smoke became less dense the deeper Dire Squad delved. Each room they cleared was just as empty as the first. There were rooms of cots that seemed recently used, but other than that, it seemed most of the facility had been entirely cleaned out. 46 followed in second to last the whole way down and felt himself growing increasingly on edge. Why would the rebels leave a corridor as long and defendable as this one? If they were going to make a proper retreat, this would be where 46 would have barricaded, maybe laid down some mines or traps. But so far, the hallway remained entirely clear. 82 stepped out of a room to 46's right and glanced around behind the squad. His hand knocked against 46's shoulder.

"Hey, where's Longhand?"

46 felt a pang of memory and cleared his throat to rid himself of it. Names hadn't been permitted since the Imperial reformation, but sometimes in the heat of a combat zone clones would forget – drift back to the old days. "You mean 6501? I uh…" Suddenly he realized the trooper was absent from their line. "Shit."

4682 sighed and turned to catch up with Alpha's advance. "I swear that clone's a bad batcher."

Alpha turned as 82 approached and 46 could see Alpha's shoulders drop. "Where the hell is 6501?"

Suddenly 01 emerged from the room ahead. "Here! Didn't realize I'd be so dearly missed."

"What the hell are you doing at the front, 01?" Alpha growled.

"46's got a good handle the rear, sir. Thought I'd join you and 82 in the room clearing."

"Without notifying? I could have shot you, trooper!"

6501 lowered his head. "Y-yes, sir. Sorry, sir. Won't happen again."

"Back of the line!"

"Yes, sir!"

A shout rang down from the dark end of the hallway, ending Dire's chatter in an instant.

"Designation CC-5040 approaching! Hold your fire!"

Alpha breathed a sigh of relief and lowered his weapon with the rest of Dire Squad. "Solid copy, Sir! You are free to approach!"

From the shadows a trooper took shape, and another five followed behind him. Alpha saluted, as did the rest of Dire.

"What happened down here sir?"

CC-5040 paused for a moment then gestured back the way they came. "Small rebel unit. Scouts. Likely sent to rig those explosives on the main floor. We've cleaned up the rubbish."

"Why wasn't the rest of the base manned?" CT-6501 asked, fiddling with his helmet.

"They must have caught wind of our attack in advance." CC-5040 replied, stepping past 6501 and the rest of Dire. "And I expect a 'sir' at the end of every sentence, trooper."

"Sir. Yes, sir." 6501 stood back at attention as the commander passed.

5040 slid his officer's pistol back into its holster and strode up the hallway until face to face with a looming figure the troopers of Dire had only just now noticed standing behind them. "The bodies are just ahead, my lord - should you wish to examine them."

"Thank you commander, you've done well. Take your men to the surface and keep the base clear." The figure took long rigid strides along the hallway. His armor shone even in the dim light of the hallway, and the shoulder cloak that hung from his right side held the emblem of the elite. The emblem of the inquisitor. A lightsaber tapped at his side and 46's eyes couldn't help but follow it as he walked past. The inquisitor shifted a cursory gaze at Dire Squad. As he disappeared into the darkness ahead he continued speaking to 5040. "And leave these rooms untouched. I wish to search them myself."

CC-5040 nodded even though the inquisitor couldn't see it. "Alright boys, you heard him. Let's move it to the surface! You too Dire Squad!"

Alpha-24 gestured to the Dire and they followed the rest of 5040's squad in quick march towards the surface. Alpha dropped back in the march and knocked on the side of 6501's helmet. "I have a few words for you about your conduct today, trooper. I expect you'll be pulling cleaning duties for the whole squad until we leave orbit."

"Sir. Understood, sir."

* * *

The _Void Walker_ ; home sweet home. 4646 stepped into the squad's bunk room and felt himself begin to relax. He dwelled on the day's events even now, but at least here he had the luxury of those thoughts. The battlefield was no place for a wandering mind. Alpha still hadn't returned from the debrief but that was usual. 6501 and 4682 were both seated and removing their plate armor to hand off to the cleaning droids. 46 did the same until the bots rolled in. The troopers dumped their gear unceremoniously in the bin but 6501 kept his helmet tucked beneath his arm. 4646 gazed down at it questioningly. 01 shrugged as he noticed 46's stare.

"It's clean enough already."

Clone troopers were terrible at lying to one another. "We both know that aint the case, Longhand."

The trooper grimaced and took a nervous glance towards the door. 46 could see the look in his eye quite clearly. Fear. Real fear. That was an emotion he hadn't seen in quite a while.

Longhand nodded to 46 and 82. "Alright. Quick before Alpha gets back. I wanted to run this by you two anyhow." The clone suddenly tugged out the padded lining of his helmet and pulled a small cube out of the ear divot.

"Haar'chak, Longhand did you bring contraband off planet!?" 4682 said. 4646 glanced up at him. He hadn't heard any clone speak Mandalorian since…

Longhand sighed. "It's worse than that ner vod. I'm… I'm sorry." He turned the object over and the clones stared at two small words scratched into the side of the object.

 _Jacken Cabos._

4646's eyes widened and he was struck dumb. Jacken Cabos, the clone wars, the Jedi… Memories ripped through his mind.

82 turned to Longhand and clocked him full in the jaw. "Di'kuut! Di'Kuutla dinii! Why would you take something like that!? Treasonous piece of-"

"Attention!"

The three troopers were tugged roughly back to reality. 6501 knocked his helmet and the cube under his bunk in a flash and stood to attention with the other two.

Alpha strode past them, strutting around in the strict angered way only a commanding officer could.

"What is the meaning of this!? 82, 01? Care to offer me insight?"

Both remained silent. Lips trapped shut by the weight of the decision whether to speak. This was a reaction Alpha was not used to.

"Speak! Up! That is an order! 46?" He turned to the one who had not been fighting. "Do you have any light to shed on this situation?"

4646 took a deep breath. "Heated argument sir. Battle stress. Won't happen again."

Alpha leaned in close to 46 and gritted his teeth. "That is not good enough, soldier. I asked for an explanation. Explanation demands cause. Now I want to know why my troopers are clocking each other in the damned bunkhouse."

6501 snapped his upright stance to get the commanders attention once again.

"You finally have an answer for me, trooper?" Alpha asked staring the clone down.

"Sir, Yes sir." 6501 knelt down and reached beneath his bunk to retrieve the cube. Both the other troopers shared a sharp intake of breath.

Longhand lifted up the cube hesitantly, flipping it to the side with the writing and presenting it to Alpha's outstretched hand.

6501 sighed but held his gaze on the commanders twisting face. "I'm sorry, sir. I saw the name and I just…"

Alpha turned to 82. "Now I understand why you hit him, ner vod." He looked back into 6501's stare and continued. "I take it this lapse in judgment has implications as to your loyalties, trooper? You realize the Jedi were and still are dangerous traitors?"

"My loyalty lies with my brothers, sir. As it always has." Longhand paused glancing once more at the open door to the bunk, nervous that someone might pass. "But it was the Jedi who named us, they let us be brothers. Here we're surrounded by new-blood generals and numeric names and…" He trailed off for a moment, lowering his head. "I'm sorry, sir. It was a mistake."

"It surely was." Alpha said closing his fist around the small Jedi holocron. "But there are consequences that-"

A black suited figure stepped into the room and Dire Squad was suddenly turned to address it. Alpha's fist closed tightly around the cube and stood at attention with the rest. Their superior officer was new-blood. He was pale skinned like the rest of the commanding force, human obviously, and male. His posture was stiff and his step was long as he strode across the room between the divided squad. His height didn't send him any higher than the physically perfected clone troopers, but his air of superiority rocketed him above them, and his voice was full and commanding.

"It seems I have stepped into a situation, gentlemen." He began, hands clasped securely behind him. "Unforeseen situations are not permitted under my command. Perhaps you would like to bring your conflicts to the rest of the command crew…" He cleared his throat pointedly. "… And the inquisitor that currently sits at its head."

4682\. Birgaan, 46 suddenly found himself thinking. That was what they'd used to call 82...Birgaan.

The clone stepped forward. His feet tapped to attention in what seemed like slow motion. The rest of the squad stood rigid as their superior whirled on heel and gazed down on 82. Longhand's eyes looked a thousand miles off into the black, his breath caught midway up his throat just as 4646's was. 82 looked ahead of himself, daring not to look into the black-suited officer's eyes, and especially not into Longhand's. He began to speak, his voice cracking briefly on his first word before pushing himself forward.

"CT-6501 has brought contraband from the surface sir. We were debating whether we should bring the object to you or directly to the inquisitor, sir."

4646's heart dropped into his feet. 6501 was as good as dead now. New-blood officers would never cover something like this. Longhand was gone. The officer turned to Alpha who opened his hand, forcing himself to nod to the Sergeant and affirm 82's claim. Sergeant Ghedus took the cube, rolling it over in his hand before dropping his eyes to the forward facing, shaking expression of 6501.

"These are serious crimes, CT-6501. You will come with me."

"Sir, yes sir." 6501 exchanged a brief look with each member of Dire squad as he strode at attention behind the officer. Sergeant Ghedus radioed the MP's as he stepped from the room and soon the Void Walker was abuzz in activity. Dire squad sat in silence for a long time. Soon enough the MP's came for them too, and they were brought to the command council. 6501 was nowhere to be seen. He was likely already being tortured. Longhand would be dead in some deep pit of the detention block within the hour, and there was nothing they could do about it.


	2. Chapter 2

"You would be hard pressed to find a finer example, my lord." The officer continued, "They are wholly loyal to our Emperor, even when tested against their own brethren."

The inquisitor rolled his thin knuckled fingers over the reflective dark metal of his council chair, mulling over the situation in an infuriatingly nonchalant manor.

The Sergeant continued, undeterred by the inquisitor's disinterested expression. "As was just proven, when given the opportunity to serve their Emperor, Dire squad will perform what most clone era troopers may consider 'betrayal of one's own' while continuing to perform within clone-era standards of imperial fighting prowess."

The inquisitor leaned back in his chair, forcing it to recline to an angle it was not meant to. "Are you saying that our troopers have degraded in quality, Sergeant Ghedus?" he enquired, his face not showing nearly enough emotion for Ghedus to gauge what answer he desired.

"Well, my lord…" Ghedus hesitated. "None could argue that the diversification of troopers was not necessary, however…" he breathed deeply before addressing the council at large. "Similarly inarguable is the fact that purely clone-era squads have continuously out-performed those with mixed heritage. And contrary to some worries that have been raised by this council, my clones have shown that their loyalties lie not with their genetics, but with the imperial regime. My opinions have been made known. I leave the rest to your better informed judgments."

Ghedus straightened himself and stood in silence, awaiting the inquisitor's response. The pale skinned skeleton of a man continued the rolling of his fingers as though nothing had been said at all, but after a few moments of silence leaned forward onto the council table and clasped his hands together.

"You have made your case well, Sergeant Ghedus. The ousting of this traitor clone has been a fine step in proving their loyalty, and Dire squad's logs show an extremely successful record. I agree to your request on the condition that your squad will be immediately reassigned under my direct command and you will have no part in the operation."

The Sergeant stiffened at the inquisitor's statement but made no argument against. "If that is what you wish, my lord."

"It is. This council is dismissed. Bring Dire squad to my shuttle by 0800 hours and have them outfitted for a standard search and destroy operation."

Sergeant Ghedus dipped his torso down in a quick rigid bow, then swiveled and exited the room at a brisk pace. In his thoughts he cursed for a moment before quickly quieting himself. Who knew what the inquisitor could do with the force. Reading minds did not seem so far-fetched to Ghedus and this was no time to make foolish mistakes. He may not be at the head of a Jedi hunting operation yet, but as long as Dire squad performed well in the field, he surely would move up the chain of command. Inquisitors were powerful company to keep, and if all went well, Sergeant Ghedus would no doubt be seeing the agent again.

The Dire bunkhouse was silent. 82's face was heavily bruised from the beating Alpha gave him. As soon as the MP's told them they were free to go, the squad disappeared into the bunk and Alpha let fly. Silently, of course; nothing needed to be said between brothers. CX-4682. Birgaan. He knew what he'd done. Clones were fewer and further between now. The bond between brothers had grown ever stronger as the ranks thinned, and Birgaan had betrayed that trust utterly. He hadn't fought back when Alpha hit him. Stayed quiet the whole time. He knew. Regret pulled at his face even through the punches, but there was no going back now. In the silence that drifted through the room afterwards, new orders chirped through their comms.

 _Rendezvous 0800. Bay 67 subsection F. Shuttle of Inquisitor Oretas. Standard S/D OP gear set._

Alpha's shoulders slumped. "We're in it now, boys."

"Sir, I-" Birgaan began,

"No apologies soldier. You know full well the consequences of your actions. Longhand saw to that." Alpha stood, picking up his datapad and began to enter the requisition request for their gear. "There's no going back now so I don't want that idiot head of yours stuck on what's already happened. Look ahead, start strategizing. We're under the inquisitor now and we're going to have to watch each other's backs. Doubly as much as before. Two fronts, boys, you know how it is with Empire brass."

46 stared at Alpha as he took hold of the situation. The man who had just beat Birgaan with a series of wild punches was gone. In his place stood an aging soldier. Alpha was older than the rest of Dire. Used to be spec ops. His commands were efficient, but normally they seemed to just be going through the motions of basic tactics. Every once in a while though, Alpha-8724 of the ARC troopers shone through. 46 stood from his bunk and started to check over his suit.

"Any unofficial standing orders to run by us, sir?"

Alpha paused gazing off at nothing in particular as he thought that one over. "Yes. If our new friend the inquisitor gives an order I disagree with I'll say something to him in mandalorian. That'll be the signal."

46 continued to check his equipment without looking up at the corporal. "signal for what, sir?"

"Depends on the situation and the order, Ruus. You know that."

 _Ruus._ He hadn't realized how much he'd missed the name. "Yes sir."

.

* * *

.

The inquisitor's shuttle rode smoothly from the _Void Walker's_ bay and began its drift into the blackness of space. The nearby sun of Felucia shone a stark white across the nose of their craft. As the shuttle's automated systems began to map the squad's jump path, the inquisitor stepped from his cockpit and addressed the silent troop's that sat in the shuttle's loading bay.

"Troopers."

All three men snapped to standing attention.

"This mission is of the utmost importance. The target, I'm sure you are already aware, is a rogue Jedi by the name of Jacken Cabos. I am told you should recognize him upon visual contact; is that correct?"

Alpha nodded. "Yes, my lord."

The corner of the inquisitor's mouth twitched in a small, brief smirk.

"Good." The inquisitor tapped at the holographic projector on his wrist and it came to life, illuminating the bay with a neon blue glow. "This is where we supposedly shall find him." A bony finger tapped onto an area of the outer rim.

"Abbaji, my lord?" 46 asked, looking at the letters displayed above their destination.

"Speak only when I ask you to, soldier." The Inquisitor quickly replied.

"Yes, my lord."

"Now - we have a vague location. A valley. This should make our search relatively simple. However, finding the Jedi is generally not the most difficult part of their eradication."

The inquisitor turned to Alpha and nodded at him. "Relatively little is known about his particular Jedi. Having fought with him during the war with the Separatists, do you have any relevant information about him? Was he ever injured, did he have family?"

"No family, my lord. However he was quite close with another Jedi named Wilcha. General Cabos was wounded during the second battle of Geonosis. Took droid shrapnel in the left leg and hip. However, as far as I'm aware, he made a full recovery."

The inquisitor clasped both hands behind his back, and the blue light of his wrist-mount faded, dipping the bay back into relative shadow.

"Did they remove all the shrapnel completely?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Shame. And this… Wilcha. Did she survive the war?"

"As far as I'm aware, my lord."

The inquisitor's head snapped towards 46 suddenly.

"Trooper. I sense a flicker of uncertainty within you. Do you have reservations as to this mission?"

The words dripped with threat and malice. 46 managed to keep his composure just barely.

"No, my lord. I simply heard you call Wilcha "she". Wilcha was a male, as I remember. A male Twi'lek."

Their lord's eyes ran up and down 46's armor, seeming to scan him for… whatever it was force users looked for. 46 didn't know, but it made him indescribably uneasy. Despite 46's discomfort the inquisitor seemed to relax after his cursory scan and continued his briefing.

"The correction is appreciated, soldier. Any and all information may prove relevant in the field. Now I will continue my briefing. We will be splitting into two teams. CX-4646 and I will be infiltrating where I suspect our target has made camp. CX-4682 and A-8724 will provide long range cover. Your optimal shooting position is located at coordinates 42.332399, -71.111603. Our timetable upon arrival is constrained to one hour before you will rendezvous back at the shuttle. Is that clear?"

"Yes, my lord." Three voices said in unison.

"Excellent. Rest. We will be arriving tomorrow morning at 0600 hours. I expect you all to be combat ready by then. Dismissed."


	3. Chapter 3

The shuttle touched down with a low hiss and the ramp extended to reveal three fully armored troopers and their commander. Alpha and 82 split off quietly to the northeast, heading for their overwatch position. 46 controlled his breathing quite pointedly. Ever since the Inquisitor sensed his discomfort the previous night, his thoughts had been awash with fears which he was quick to squash. If there was one thing proper training had prepared him for it was keeping his emotions to himself, he just hadn't ever had to do it to such extremes before. He'd once been told the Jedi couldn't read minds, only emotions, but he found himself doubting that now. The inquisitor strode confidently ahead, ignoring what 46 had been taught about stealth movement entirely. Somehow though, the man managed to stay perfectly silent against the forest floor. As 4646 continued to observe, he finally found that the inquisitor was using complex force movements to shift noisy debris from his path.

 _Amazing_ … he thought just as a twig snapped somewhere ahead of them. 46 dropped and raised his rifle. The Inquisitor made no movement at all, but seemed to be using the force for…something

"A yam'rii. A hundred yards ahead. On some sort of path by the sound of it."

"Yam'rii, my lord?" 46 asked. The inquisitor gave him a detesting look.

"Insectoids. Disgusting creatures, angry and foolish." He paused, eyes blank as they gazed over the forest. "This one has a destination. She's carrying something."

46 nodded moving forward to get a better line of sight and hopefully see what kind of cargo the bug had on her. As he reached the edge of the path the yam'rii was a distant shape. Hopefully far enough off that if it turned around it wouldn't see the dull white blob at the edge of its forest. The clone raised his scope.

"Fruit, my lord. She's got a bushel of some sort of purple fruit."

The inquisitor nodded rubbing at his smooth chin. "I see. There is no village in this direction. She may be headed for our target. New orders are to follow, stay out of sight and be ready to take a shot on my command."

"Yes, my lord."

The forest was roastingly hot. 46's suit was barely able to keep up and beads of sweat had begun to dampen the interior pads of his helmet. The yam'rii had slowed to a near stop at the bottom of a small hill in the center of the valley. The inquisitor made a silent hand motion for 46 to move forward and set up behind a rock outcropping on the side of the path. As the clone pushed up to the stones, the inquisitor vanished into the forest. 46 decided to check in with his brothers' position. They had followed the creature a long way, and he wasn't sure if his fellow clones could provide proper overwatch.

"Alpha this is CX-4646, over."

"Copy 46."

"We have moved off of planned course. Is your position still effective, over."

"Roger 46. Position is effective. Position is effective, over."

"Solid copy." 46 tapped off his comms just as he caught a glimpse of movement to his right. He snapped his E-11 blaster towards it but it was suddenly jerked in another direction. From the shadows strode the inquisitor, hand outstretched. He held the trooper's blaster in its place with the force until it was clear 46 recognized him.

"Apologies for the reaction, but I wouldn't have fired without a double check, my lord."

"I don't doubt your trigger discipline trooper, simply a precaution." The inquisitor droned, his eyes scanning the path ahead where the yam'rii had stopped. "Follow that bug's sightline. Do you see anything in your scopes?"

46 nodded, turning his E-11 back to the yam'rii. "There's a dense thicket ahead. It looks almost like a sculpted hedge."

"Keen eye, trooper. I believe that may be the home of our intended target."

As 46 looked longer he could see that the thicket was mostly rectangular and was unnaturally dense. It seemed the plants were meant to disguise something beneath. In the shadows of the brush he thought he may see a small hint of movement. He wondered if it really could be General Cabos hidden in that mass of leaves. He'd never spoken more than a few words to the man but he remembered his face. He had been young when the clone wars started, but as they slogged through battle after battle, his face had grown haggard and worn. 46 wondered how much further the Jedi's cheeks must have sunk since.

Movement among the brush interrupted his thoughts as some of the thicket pulled away to reveal an entrance. From the gap in the leaves stepped an older man, but one 46 instantly recognized.

 _A Clone._

The inquisitor's eyes narrowed. "Trooper, can you confirm that is a Fett clone?"

"It is definitely a clone, my lord. He's an older batch. Probably from the earlier years of the clone war." 46 muttered. _What was a clone doing where there should be a Jedi?_

46 stuttered for a moment, fighting his reservations to the back of his mind in order to ask the question he knew he should.

"Shall I take a shot, my lord? It's clear." _Please by the Empire I serve say no. Say no._

"I don't wish to soil our element of surprise. Keep watch trooper, I'll move in close to set charges and we'll blast their little hideout into the sky."

"Understood, my lord."

The inquisitor vanished once more into the trees, and 46 was left with the jarringly serene sounds of the Abbaji forests. As he continued to watch, the yam'rii and the clone seemed to exchange money and fruit, and then his aging brother disappeared back into the leaves. 46 was briefly forced to go fully prone in the underbrush as the yam'rii passed back the way it came, but was soon back to his scouting position. The inquisitor was the picture of stealth. The only times 46 even managed to catch glimpses of him were the seconds it took him to creep from the trees and toss a charge onto the edge of the hidden shelter. Frightening though he may have been, 46 couldn't deny he was thoroughly impressed with the inquisitor's prowess. The Jedi may have grown into capable leaders over time, but it seemed the inquisitors were finely tuned from the start. As the shadow slipped out of the forest once more to place a charge, 46 caught a flutter of movement from the shelter's entrance.

"Someone is exiting the structure, my lord." 46 quickly whispered into the comm.

"Understood, moving to evade."

The figure that came from the leaves was a tall lanky and distinctly non-clone human. His facial hair was long and unkempt, and at his hip sat the distinct shape of a lightsaber. _Jacken Cabos._ He seemed to be searching for something at the edge of his house and quickly found it. One of the charges the inquisitor placed was pulled from the wall and held for a moment before the man saw it for what it was and reacted.

The inquisitor's voice blazed over the comms "Take the shot! Take the shot!"

To bolts fired through the air. One from 46, and another from Alpha's rifle some distance away. As the Jedi general threw the charge away from himself, the first bolt grazed across his ear and temple. The second caught the charge square in its center and it detonated in a ball of orange flames. His view obscured by smoke and debris, 46 charged forward to a closer position hoping to get eyes on the inquisitor. As he stepped into the clearing before the burning structure, the rest of the charges activated. A shockwave mixed with intense heat threw the trooper into the air and back among the trees where the wind shot from his mouth. 46 lay for a moment gasping for breath as his comm came to life.

"Status trooper! Did you see the Jedi go down?" The inquisitor shouted into 46's ringing ear

"O-O…Operational, my lord. The explosion covered my line of sight; I have no eyes on the target."

"Dammit! Move up, secure the site. Find me a corpse!"

"Yes, my lord." 46 said through a small fit of coughing. He stood, picking himself into a jog until he reached the burning wreckage. For a moment his heart sunk. Among the charred debris there was a shattered clone helmet, but as he kneeled to examine it, he found no trace of remains. Along its edges there were markings made in blue paint. Emblazoned across the helmet's left side were the words "One shot, one kill. No exceptions". The helmet had surely belonged to another like Alpha. An ARC trooper. 46 scanned over the rest of the area, searching for any leftover chunks of their targets but found nothing. The inquisitor stepped to 46's side and demanded his attention.

"Trooper! Report!"

46 gestured to the helmet. "No flesh. I believe they may have gotten out ahead of the detonation, my lord."

The inquisitors face relaxed into one of grim determination. "Then we pursue." His eyes closed and 46 could see the man was probing the area by use of the force. After a few painfully long moments, the inquisitor's eyes snapped open. "North-northeast. Follow close as you can."

Suddenly the inquisitor shot ahead, propelling himself through the underbrush at a breakneck speed. 46 followed as fast as he could, boots tapping rhythmically against the dirt.

"What's going on down there 46?" Alpha chimed through the comms. "We've lost line of sight and are moving to another position. What happened after the explosion?"

"They escaped, sir. Jacken and a clone. They're both headed north northeast along the valley floor. We are in pursuit."

"Copy, 46. Continue to update position of clone target, over."

 _The clone target?_ 46 thought. _Why only the clone?_

Alpha continued, "Don't forget what happened on Mygeeto, 46. We may need to repeat tactics."

"…Copy, sir." 46 replied. _Mygeeto._ It was a long time ago but 46 remembered. The seps had broken the republic comms and the troopers of the 247th had been forced to get creative with comm channels. Each squad was given a separate secret frequency to keep the leaks compartmentalized. Dire squad was no exception. Ever since, when things got hairy, the squad would switch to that same frequency. Sometimes in combat, internal squad conflicts were best kept from command. And it seemed Alpha had something to say he didn't want the inquisitor to hear.

46 adjusted his comms as he continued to run.

"This is Ruus, checking in. Alpha, you read?"

"I hear you Ruus. Birgaan and I are repositioned and have eyes on." Alpha replied. "We had visual on that clone before the explosion. It's A-266. He was called Fletcher during the outer rim campaigns."

"You know… him personally… sir?" 46 puzzled, his strained breathing creating pauses in his words as he ran.

"Yes. Until further notice, do not take a shot. Avoid direct confrontation." Alpha said.

"Yes, sir." 46 answered, "And Cabos?"

"Deal with him however you deem necessary."

"Copy, sir."

Both clones switched back to the main comms channel and Alpha immediately began relaying information to the inquisitor.

"My lord, there is a large drop off directly ahead of your path. You may be able to head them off there."

The inquisitor's graveled voice replied, "Good. CX-4646, you will move to the direct north and cut off their retreat." After a pause he continued, "It seems the Jedi is lowering his speed to stay with his traitor clone. I will be at their heels in a moment."

"Yes, my lord." 46 replied, turning to his left to head for one of the valley's hills. He pulled one of the incendiaries from his belt and readied himself to throw it. With a long arcing swing of his arm, the grenade soared through the air into the jungle and detonated, spreading a thick blanket of fire from 46's position to the drop-off Alpha had detected. If the two fugitives were looking for a way out, the northern hills would not be it.

"CX-4646, move to my position immediately. I have them."

"At once, my lord!" 46 sprinted back towards the inquisitor's signal, adrenaline filling his legs with unstable speed.

As he approached the position, a tense scene took shape. Jacken and the clone were at the slope's jagged edge, the inquisitor stood only a few yards from them, his lightsaber drawn. The Jedi general seemed to be holding the inquisitor at bay with the force just barely and the clone stood at his side, a vibroblade combat knife held defiantly in his hand. 46 raised his E-11 to the Jedi's head.

"CX-4646, A-8724! Take him down!" The inquisitor bellowed, struggling against the force of General Cabos. 46 lined up a shot for the general's outstretched arm and fired three successive bolts. As they ripped through the air towards him, Jacken Cabos's lightsaber ignited, swinging in an improbably precise arc and deflecting all three. As a thin line of blaster fire rained down from the southeastern hills, the Jedi performed the motion again, sending all of Dire squad's fire harmlessly into the dirt.

The inquisitor's eyes shifted to the clone beside Cabos and he snarled. "The clone! Target the clone!"

46 turned his rifle onto his brother, but his finger stayed an inch away from the trigger. There was a long pause as the stalemate remained stagnant before the inquisitor exploded in anger.

"What are you waiting for trooper!? Take your shot immediately!" He turned his head back towards the hill where Alpha and Birgaan were positioned. "A-8724, take out the traitor!"

Alpha's reply was slow and dripping with malice "Vor entye, ner alor."

The signal was given, and with the inquisitor held in place by Cabos's force, there was only one reasonable interpretation. Ruus turned his rifle to the inquisitors head, and fired. Two bolts burned tunnels through the Inquisitors skull and neck, leaving ringed orange burn marks that faded as his corpse slumped to the ground. The red of his lightsaber retracted as the Imperial's grip lost its strength. For a long silent moment 46 stepped over to the inquisitor's corpse to ensure himself of a good kill then picked up the agent's lightsaber, slipping it onto his gear belt. It seemed the imperial inquisitors were just as easy to dispatch as any Jedi - and just as easy to betray. The clone beside Cabos sheathed his vibroblade and tapped at Cabos's shoulder to tell the General to do the same. Hesitantly, the Jedi retracted the blue hum of his saber, but he kept it at the ready in his hand. 46 turned to the other approaching members of Dire squad. Birgaan kept his rifle up, trained on Jacken's weary looking eyes, but Alpha approached with his E-11 slung calmly over his shoulder, immediately passing the unspoken boundary between the two sides and fully embracing the other ARC trooper. Alpha removed his helmet as they pulled away from each other and 46 saw the trace of a smile on the man's lips for the first time in years.

"Feir'fek, Fletcher. You look like you were spat up by a gundark."

The other clone wore an expression of pure incredulity. "Ruus'alor!? What are you doing here? Why did-"

"Brothers first, Empire second." Alpha replied, "The Empire has betrayed us many times over. Ordering the slaying of our kin was only the most recent straw. Of course…" Alpha glared slightly, "We wouldn't have had to do it if you hadn't been with this… _Jedi._ "

Fletcher grimaced. "I know how this must seem, ner vod. But there is more to both the Empire and the Jedi than you've been told."

Alpha nodded, "I'm sure you'll have plenty to say, but for now we need to go. We have a shuttle a few klicks to the southwest. We'll have to remove the imperial trackers, but it's our best way off of this god-forsaken jungle."

Jacken Cabos stepped forward, finally clipping the lightsaber back to his belt. "Why would _you_ assist in our escape?"

Birgaan scoffed, "What do you mean 'our'? We didn't do this for you."

Alpha frowned. "If it were up to me, I would leave you in this forest to rot, Cabos. We'll already have enough trouble escaping imperial space without a Jedi bringing us attention. However…" he turned to Fletcher. "I get the feeling my brother here will not be leaving without you, is that correct?"

"It is." Fletcher replied.

"Right." Alpha said, turning pointedly to Birgaan, "Then we're _all_ getting on that shuttle, and we are _all_ getting out of this system, understood?"

"Sir, yes sir." Three voices answered.

"Good." Alpha replied, "Move out."


End file.
